Non-compliance--some myths, some facts

Patient non-compliance is a common problem, well known to every practitioner. It is widespread among all patients, regardless of the disease type and intensity. The consequences of non-compliance are very serious, and include inefficacy of applied treatment, deterioration of patient's health state, necessity of additional tests and hospitalisation or even death. Non-compliance also generates increased expenditure within the health care system. Despite all these serious consequences, in many cases doctors do not fully realise how frequently it occurs. Fortunately, there are ways to achieve better compliance. Their implementation may contribute to achieving better results of the therapy and reducing health system expanses at the same time.